Song and Games for the Pool #5

Sleeping Bunnies
See the bunnies sleeping till it's nearly noon,[Action: Start in a floating position
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
They're so still, are they ill, wake up little bunnies! [Action: maintain a floating position]
Hop little bunnies, hop hop hop,
Hop hop hop.
Hop little bunnies, hop hop hop, [Action: wake up, rotate and jump in water] 
Hop hop hop, hop hop hop.

This song is a good way to help babies associate back floats with excitement, focus on putting their ears in the water.

Rock-a-Bye Baby
Rock-a-bye baby in your small boat. [Action: Start in a floating position]
When the wind blows, your small boat will rock. [Action rock baby back and forth]
When the wind falls, your small boat will float,
Safely to shore, baby and all. [Action: maintain a floating position] 

This song is a good way to calm babies when they are on their backs in the water, focus on putting their ears in the water.

Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock. [Action: lift baby up]
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down, [Action: submerge child]
Hickory Dickory dock. 

This game is a good way for babies to be used to having their face underwater, its better to start young with this game, I would not suggest using it on an older child (age 3+)

Puffer Trains
Down at the station, early in the morning,
See the little Puffer trains all in a row. [Action: all swimmers in a line]
Here comes the driver to start up the engine,
PUFF PUFF, PEEP PEEP off we go! [Action: all swimmers blow bubbles and move across the pool] 
This game is a good way for children to explore breath control, which can be a difficult skill to master. 

Talk to the fishies

Practise talking to pretend fishies by getting the child to blow bubbles in the water. Then ask him to put his ear in the water to listen to the pretend response.

This game is a good way for children to explore breath control, which can be a difficult skill to master. 

Song and Games for the Pool #4

Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day
Five little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hill and far away.
Mother duck said, 'QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!' And only four little ducks came back!
Motorboat, motorboat go so fast [Action: sing faster while faster kicking legs]
Motorboat, motorboat, step on the gas! [Action: sing faster while fast kicking legs, end by spinning round]
Five, four, three, two, one blast off! [Action: push and glide]
You can’t catch me!
Along came Mister Crocodile as quietly as can be,

[Repeat with four, three, two and one; action: swim across pool, and come back on command]

Motorboat, Motorboat
Motorboat, motorboat go so slow [Action: sing slow while slow kicking legs]
Motorboat, motorboat go so fast [Action: sing fast while fast kicking legs]
Motorboat, motorboat run out of gas [Action: stop kicking]

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Zoom zoom zoom, we are going to the moon, [Action: holding at wall hair in water] 
Zoom zoom zoom we are going very soon

Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys sitting in a tree,
Teasing mister crocodile, [Action: swimming towards crocodile [teacher]]

You can’t catch me!
Along came Mister Crocodile as quietly as can be, 

And SNAP SNAP SNAP! [Action: teacher splashes water, child turn and swim back] 

I’m a Little Teapot

I'm a little teapot,
Short and stout.
Here is my handle,
Here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up, Hear me shout,
Tip me up and pour me out! [Action: pour water on child] 

Songs and Games for the Pool #3 (The Sport Addition)

For the most part, these games are going to be more targeted towards swimming groups. These are great games you could play if you are teaching swimming lessons or maybe a bunch of your friends bring your children/babies to the pool together. 

Tot Soccer

Yes! Soccer! Be excited all you Dads! 

This game is pretty self-explanatory, however the goal is to score on the other team (get the ball to touch the wall if you don't have a net) while only using your child's feet. The proper way to do this is to have them kick the water (using flutter kick) by themselves or with your assistance to push the ball to the other side by passing it around to your teammates. 

Tot Soccer Practice 

A variation of that game is to have everyone get in a circle and have your child kick the ball back and forth/ around the circle. Again, we want them to practice their flutter kick... either on their own or with your assistance. 

Tot Baseball

Have your child start out of the water and give them a small baseball sized toy/ball that floats... (Tennis balls work great). Get them to throw the ball as far as they can (work on their pitching skills) and get in the water and swim out to their ball and bring it back to the wall for a home run (Its not exactly like baseball, but trust me your kids will love it). Your kids can either do this by them selves, with noodles/ floaties, or with you! 

Water polo

Water polo is a real water sport and a great one to play with older kids to work on their eggbeater/ treading water. Set up two goal posts, either with real nets or with colourful objects marking each side. Get a ball and play! 

The goal is to score on the other team by getting the ball in the net, or between the goal posts.

The ball is not aloud underwater and you are not allowed to push other players underwater... but those are really the only major rules for a basic game of water polo. 

Sometimes when playing with larger groups I will implement a rule where the players are not allowed to move when they have the ball, forcing them to pass to other people on their team. That way everyone is sure to get a turn eventually and there are no ball hogs. 

Have Fun!

Games and Songs for the Pool #2

More games and songs that you can use in the pool! See part 1 if you have not already.

Grand ol Duke of York.

The grand ol duke of york,

He had 10 000 men,

He marched them up to the top of the hill (everyone goes up),

And he marched them down again( everyone goes down),

And when they are up there up(go up),

And when they are down they are down (go down),

And when they are only half way up,

They are neither up (go up) or down (go down).

This song can be used to just generate a little excitement by throwing your child in the air and catching them again, OR when the song cues everyone to go down you can either practise bubbles or go underwater with your child. 

Chop Chop Timber

Plant little tree seeds (the kids) on the side of the wall,

Pour water on them while they grow,

And then chop them down ( kids fall into the water)

This is a game, no singing required. This game is a great way to work on entries ( jumping) into the water. 

If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

Add verses to work on specific swim skills. For example, blowing bubbles, putting face in the water, doing a back float, etc ( really anything). 

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. (Action: Sit on pool edge, hands outstretched, imitating big tummies)

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. (Action: Fall in)

All the king’s horses,

And all the king’s men,
Couldn’t put Humpty together again. (Action: Do a back float)

This song practises entires into the water (jumping) and back floats. Have your kids to it by themselves, with a noodle or with you depending on what level they are at. 

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle little star, 

how I wonder what you are.

 Up above the world so high,

 Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle little star,

 how I wonder what you are.

This song is good to practise back floats. Have your child look up at the ceiling with their chin back and look at the stars. They can do this independently, with a noodle or with you. Depending on where they are. 

Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy bitsy spider ran up the waterspout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out (go underwater).
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

This song can be used to go underwater or practise bubbles if your child is not ready for submersion.  

Five Little Frogs

Five green and speckled frogs, Sat on a speckled log,
eating some most delicious bugs.

Yum, yum!

One jumped into the pool,

Where it was nice and cool,

Then there were Four green speckled frogs...

Additional verses:
Continue the song until there is only “one green and speckled frog” left.

This song can be used for entries into the water (jumping). Each time you sing the song have your child jump in the water.

The noodles discussed above can be bought on Amazon, Walmart and Big Lots. 

Games and Songs for the Pool #1

Games and songs make swimming fun for children! Games with aims can help you teach specific skills. Lots of games and songs can be adapted to work on different skills. Here are some examples of games and songs that you can use with your child in the pool with some suggestions of what to use them for. 

Bullfrog

Here’s Mr. Bullfrog
Sitting on a rock.
Along comes a little boy Mr. Bullfrog jumps kerplop!

This song is great for practicing entries into the water. Have your child jump in the water after singing the song.  

London Bridge

London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down, 

London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady—O

Build it up with sticks and stones, Sticks and stones, sticks and stones, 

Build it up with sticks and stones My fair lady—O.

Actions
Two people make a bridge. Everyone else goes under the bridge as it sinks lower and lower in the water. Then, the bridge rises up. (or use a noodle)

This song can help with submersion. Have your kids go under the noodle ( underwater) when it gets to its lowest point. Or have them blow bubbles to make the bridge go back up. 

Old McDonald Had a Pond

Old McDonald had a pond

Ee ei ee ei oh.

And in his pond he had some fish

Ee ei ee ei oh.

With a blub blub here, and a blub blub there,

Here a blub, there a blub, everywhere a blub blub

Old McDonald had a pond

Ee ei ee ei oh.

Additional verses:

• Frogs that go ribbit

• Ducks that quack

• And so on

For this song your can put some sinky animals on the bottom of the pool and have your kids go down and touch the animal that you are singing about. If you put it deep enough you can make them put their face in the water to do that. 

Little Ollie Otter

Little oli otter swimming through the water, scooping up the star fish and bonking them on the head.

Along came the sea monster,

And she said little oli otter I don’t wanna see you scooping up the the starfish and bonking them on the head,

You have 3 more chances and then I’m turning you into a bubble monster ( blow bubbles).

Then repeat until there are no more chances where you are turned into a bubble monster.

For this song can be used to practise bubbles (as indicated in song). You can take it one step forward and have them put their whole face in the water while they blow bubbles.